Bread - A Short How-To

Bread
2 c. warm water
2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. oil
6 c. flour (plus more if dough is still sticky)

Mix together warm water (to see if your water is right temperature, test it with your hand, it should be warm, just on the verge of hot, so you feel a little burn in it), sugar, and yeast in whatever bowl you plan on making it in (kitchenaid, bosch, in big bowl if you are making it by hand). Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

Mix in salt, oil, and flour. If you are using a mixer add everything in and mix it up. When everything is incorporated the dough should be slightly sticky and soft, but when you touch it barely any should stick to your finger, if any. If it sticks a lot add a little more flour and mix it in and test it again. Once you get the consistency, on the kitchen aid turn it to medium speed, for a bosch speed 1, and let it knead for 5 minutes. If you are making the dough without a mixer, after you let the yeast get foamy, add oil and salt, and half of the flour, stir to incorporate, Slowly add the rest of the flour.



When it get to the point you can no longer stir the dough, dump the dough on a floured counter and knead in the rest of the dough. To knead fold dough in half on top of each other and push down with your palms, rotate dough and and fold dough in half and push down with your palms. Repeat this process until your dough is the consistency stated above and knead it for another 15 minutes. Once dough has been kneaded, pour a small amount of oil (a couple teaspoons) in a large bowl and use your hand to coat the whole bowl with oil. Put the dough in the bowl and turn it over, so both sides have oil on it. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise for one hour. Once it has raised punch the dough down and take it out of the bowl. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Use your hands and karate chop the dough into a slight rectangle, then roll up into a log.



Pinch all the ends closed and put in a grease bread pan. Repeat the process with the other half of dough. Cover with a damp towel and let raise 60-90 minutes until it's raised an inch over the top of the pan. (In the summer it will raise faster than the winter when it's colder.) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Take bread out of the pans as soon as you take them out of the oven. Put them on a cooling rack. While they are still hot, take a stick of butter and rub them over the top of the bread. While you are at it eat a piece or two, warm out the oven, because that is the best thing EVER!